The Movie Contagion: Fiction vs. Reality

What does the movie Contagion have to teach us about infectious diseases and public health preparedness? Emory infectious disease experts Phyllis Kozarsky, MD and Jeffrey Koplan, MD, MPH, former CDC director, discuss the reality of a widespread disease threat, as depicted in Contagion, and the benefits of preparedness and prevention.

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About Dr. Koplan

Jeffrey Koplan, MD, MPH, vice president of global health; director, Emory Global Health Institute; president, International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI)

From 1998 to 2002, Dr. Koplan served as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He joined Emory University in 2002 and became director of the Emory Global Health Institute in 2008. He also leads the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), a 76-nation partnership of national public health institutes. IANPHI is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Koplan began his public health career in the early 1970's in the CDC¿s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS). Since then, he has worked on virtually every major public health issue, including smallpox and HIV/AIDS, environmental issues such as the Bhopal chemical disaster, and the health toll of tobacco and obesity, both in the United States and around the globe.

About Dr. Kozarsky

Phyllis Kozarsky, MD, professor of medicine (infectious diseases), Emory University School of Medicine. Kozarsky is director of the Emory TravelWell Clinic, which prepares travelers via disease prevention and treatment. She also is president of the International Society of Travel Medicine, a global partnership that involves disease surveillance and prevention.